Wood Village Baptist Church sits along NE Arata Road in the small city of Wood Village, just east of Troutdale in Multnomah County, Oregon. Organized in 1951 as a Sunday school meeting in what is now City Hall, the congregation moved to its present campus in 1954 and has continued to grow in membership and facilities ever since. The church's motto, "Worshipping Jesus Together and Reflecting His Kingdom Love," captures the dual focus of its identity: gathered worship that points to Jesus, and a steady outward flow of service to the surrounding neighborhood.
Seven Decades on Arata Road
The congregation was organized on April 3, 1951, and its first pastor, Rev. Melvin Erickson, guided the move to the present Arata Road location in September 1954. He continued to serve until 1960. Six pastors have followed: Rev. James Stanfield (1961-1963), Rev. Kenneth Bekkedahl (1963-1972), Rev. John Atherton (1973-1979), Rev. Donald Boldt (1980-1994), Rev. William Ehmann (1995-2020), and Rev. Thomas Miles, the current senior pastor, who began in 2021. The 75th anniversary of the church fell in 2026.
Over those decades the church has expanded both its campus and its reach. Today the property holds an auditorium for worship, a fellowship hall, a children's center, a youth center with an upstairs loft, conference rooms, a sports field, and spaces used by Narcotics Anonymous, a recreational soccer program, and a Tae Kwon Do class.
What Wood Village Baptist Believes
Wood Village Baptist describes itself in classic Baptist terms, with an emphasis on the authority of Scripture and the autonomy of the local church. Members affirm the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Old and New Testaments, one God eternally existing in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and the sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and personal premillennial return of Jesus Christ. Salvation is described as the gift of God received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and manifested in works pleasing to God.
The two ordinances observed are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, with communion offered the first Sunday of each month. The church teaches that "the local church is autonomous and is not subject to any outside ecclesiastical or political authority," and it is not identified with any specific national Baptist convention on its public materials.
Sunday Mornings at Eleven
The Sunday worship service begins at 11:00am in the auditorium and runs about an hour. Spanish translation is available for those who need it, and a hearing assistance system is in place. The music blends contemporary songs, traditional hymns, and Spanish selections, reflecting the bilingual character of the surrounding community. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month using grape juice in place of wine.
Adults who want a deeper Bible study before the service have two Sunday morning options. The "Journey" Adult Bible Class meets at 9:30am in the Youth Center under Juan and Lisa Cervantes, while the "Villagers" Adult Bible Class meets at the same hour in the Fellowship Hall, led by Gordy Whipps. A Youth Bible Class for middle and high schoolers also gathers at 9:30am in the Youth Center, with a hot breakfast provided as part of the program called "Bacon All Things New."
Children from Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Children are a visible priority at WVBC. During the worship hour, nursery care is offered for infants through toddlers, and Children's Sunday School is offered for ages three through fifth grade. First through fifth graders begin in the worship service, joining in the congregational music, and are then dismissed to their classes for the remainder of the hour. Crafts, Bible stories, music, and games fill out the time.
On Wednesday evenings during the school year, children in kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to "THE ROCK" - Righteous Outrageous Children for the Kingdom - which meets from 6:30 to 8:15pm in the Children's Center. Vera Hallman oversees the children's ministry, and the program is staffed by volunteers. When a month has a fifth Sunday, the church celebrates Family Sunday: no children's classes, activity boxes for kids in the service, and a potluck lunch for everyone afterward. Vacation Bible School is held on campus each summer for children entering kindergarten through fifth grade. Children are also sent each summer to Trout Creek Bible Camp near Corbett, Oregon.
Middle School and High School
Youth ministry at WVBC is led by Youth Pastor Patrick Vestal. The youth group, for students in grades six through twelve, meets on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30pm in the Youth Center, with fun activities and life lessons in a safe environment. The group takes a break for the month of August. Off-campus events throughout the year have included movies, laser tag, skating, service projects, snow tubing, and weekend retreats. A completed parent or guardian consent form is required for off-campus activities.
Young Adults in the Loft
A young adult community gathers on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00pm in the upstairs loft of the Youth Center. Patrick Vestal leads the group, which describes itself as offering "strong coffee shop vibes - couches and espresso machine included." The format mixes games, coffee, and Bible discussion. Every third Monday the focus shifts to fellowship, with a shared dinner and a group activity.
Men and Women in Discipleship
The men's ministry envisions men as a powerful force for change in their families, churches, workplaces, and community. Two weekly Bible studies anchor the work: a Tuesday evening study from 6:30 to 8:45pm in the Conference Room led by Rick Ashford and Bert Welton, and a Thursday evening study from 6:00 to 8:00pm in Pastor Tom's office led by Dave Evans. Smaller gatherings include fishing outings, sports events, service days, weekend retreats, and father-son or father-daughter outings. The men's ministry also partners with an outside organization to provide help for anyone struggling with pornography.
Women's ministry is coordinated by a team led by Jennifer Miles and follows the theme "Drawing women closer to each other and to God." Bible studies gather at several points during the week: Vera Hallman's Wednesday evening study, Danita Hunter's Thursday afternoon study, Jane Merhar's Thursday evening study, and Maria Herrera's Spanish-language study on Thursday mornings in the Fellowship Hall. The Women's Ministry Team also organizes "Helping Hands" meals for hurting families and new mothers, showers for brides and babies, dinners and receptions, a neighborhood clothing exchange, mentoring, a Women's Retreat every 18 months, and an annual Silent Auction. Fellowship events fill the calendar with game nights, mother-daughter teas, small group dinners, hikes, coffee clubs, and brunches.
Life Groups Around the Week
Beyond the larger studies, a network of Life Groups meets in homes and on campus at a variety of times. Several of these groups run on summer break, but during the school year LifeGroups meet under leaders such as Juan and Lisa Cervantes (alternating Tuesday evenings in their home), Don and Angel Neill (alternating Tuesday evenings), Craig and Connie Crandall (alternating Thursday evenings), and Tim and Bree Watt (Thursday evenings). Some LifeGroups include a shared meal along with Bible study and prayer.
Bible Connections: An Adult Learning Program
Bible Connections is WVBC's flagship adult education ministry, designed to train believers in how to read Scripture with growing skill and reverence. Courses have covered topics such as Hermeneutics ("Hearing God's Voice in God's Word"), the Pentateuch ("Torah: Genesis through Deuteronomy"), the transmission of Scripture ("How We Got the Bible"), and "New Testament Biblical Theology: Gospels." The current course is a study of the Psalms that runs on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00pm between September 15 and December 8, 2026. Courses are taught by Sheri Richter, Patrick Vestal, and other instructors, and recordings and workbooks from past classes are available on request. The team can be reached at [email protected].
Music, Drama, and Media
Music is described by the church as "an instrument God uses to bring joy to His church through worship, adoration, evangelism and encouragement." Worship teams lead congregational singing on Sunday mornings, and a choir rehearses on Thursdays at 4:40pm. Sound and visual technicians support the services. Drama teams use skits to tell the Gospel story, teach Bible lessons, and provide humor during services, outreach events, and major holiday programs. A media team handles video and audio capture, photography, digital graphics, and other resources.
Our Neighbors Matter
One of the church's three core values is that "Our Neighbors Matter." The Wood Valley campus regularly opens its doors to the surrounding community: a Narcotics Anonymous group meets in the building, a Walk the Talk support group meets on Tuesday evenings in the basement, and recreational soccer runs on the sports field every weekday afternoon. The church hosts a Summer Lunch Program, Summer Sports Club, neighborhood events, and the annual Wood Village Nite Out, and partners with city efforts such as the City of Wood Village Clean-Up Day.
Hospitality teams provide greeters, ushers, a Safety Team, meal deliveries for those in need, transportation, food pantry help, and home visits. The facilities team keeps the buildings and grounds in shape, including the ballfield and equipment, while the missions team organizes short-term trips to Mexico and Ecuador as well as neighborhood outreach.
Reaching Beyond Wood Village
Global missions are coordinated under the leadership of Pastor Tom Miles. The church supports missionaries working in Africa, Argentina, Ecuador, Guam, Taiwan, and India, and partners with local groups including Trout Creek Bible Camp, summer camps, and community support organizations. Easy English Classes, after-school programs, and city events are also part of the church's local outreach. A periodic Missions Luncheon brings the congregation together to hear updates from missionaries, including families serving in Ecuador.
Pastoral Leadership and Governance
Rev. Thomas Miles has served as senior pastor since 2021 and also teaches the Wednesday evening Spanish Bible Study. Patrick Vestal serves as youth pastor and leads the young adult ministry. Vera Hallman directs children's ministry and a Wednesday women's Bible study. Zeke Goodrick serves as Director of Worship Arts. Connie Crandall handles graphics and publications, Chris Wright manages accounting, and Caleb Teague provides ministerial support.
The church is governed by an elder board of seven, currently including Craig Crandall as moderator, Yiu-Tak Chiu, Tim Collins, Tom Miles, Reggie Wardle, Bert Welton, and Tim Watt. The board meets regularly to pray, plan, and oversee the ministry of the church.
Getting Connected and Giving
Visitors are invited to stop by the church office, which is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00am to 3:00pm and Wednesday from 12:30 to 3:00pm. The office phone is 503-661-7686. Sunday worship services and other events are open to all. Members and visitors who want to support the ministry financially can give in person, by mail, online through Planning Center Online, or through Venmo or PayPal. Sermon recordings and live streams of services are available on the church's YouTube channel, and the most recent Sunday bulletin can be downloaded in advance of the service. Anyone with a question for the pastor or a prayer request can submit it through the church's online forms.